pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: concerns


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Presence = Patience

Reading: James 5:7-10

Verse 7: “Be patient, then, brothers [and sisters] until the Lord’s coming.”

Photo credit: Ben White

James’ call in these verses is towards patience. This is a difficult thing to practice and live out in our world. Life itself is busy and it seems to ramp up during the holidays. At the same time it feels like there is even more to do. How can we find patience this Advent season?!

Our best option seems to be counter-intuitive to most folks, especially to the world. The best way to be able to practice patience is to practice time with God. Prayer is the place to begin. Finding a quiet and comfy place, we can breathe slowly as we offer a simple breath prayer for a few minutes. “Come, Lord Jesus, come” or “Holy Spirit, fill me” might work well. If there are concerns or joys on your heart, slowly and peacefully offer these prayers to God. Lastly, we can offer our prayers of thanksgiving. These can be short or long – even as short as a prayer of thanks for the 5 or 10 minutes alone with and close to God.

In this holy time of prayer we are choosing to set aside the world and our busy lives in order to connect with and to be filled with God’s presence. This practice brings us peace and joy, two components of practicing patience. In a world filled with busyness, we can then be God’s presence in the world. May it be so this week as we seek to shine light into the darkness, as we shine joy and peace into the world.

Prayer: Lord God, center me often in your presence this season. Lead me to daily times of quiet that allow your peace and joy to fill me. Filled with your Spirit, send me out to share the hope we find in Christ with others. Amen.


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Trust

Reading: Psalm 13

Verse 5: “I will trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation”.

David follows the typical pattern found in lament Psalms: pouring out his heart and his pain and then coming to the Lord in praise. I think that this pattern is typical of many of our deepest relationships. At times we need to express the hurt or frustration or anger that we are experiencing and then we can move on in that situation or relationship. On a smaller scale that is “venting” or “letting off steam”. On a bigger scale it can be finally having that really good cry. Both bring relief or cleanse our thoughts and emotions enough so that we can focus on what really matters. For persons of faith, that means focusing first on God and on our relationship with God.

In verse five David finally gets to this point. Here he writes, “I will trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation”. Head and heart being expressed, he can now turn to the more eternal, more powerful force: God. I too can get bogged down in the worldly stuff from time to time. It can be a difficult situation or it can just be from too much busyness. In those times the focus becomes more on me and my concerns. God seems to take more of a back seat. Then I end up where David is in the first few verses of Psalm 13 – feeling distant from God and wondering where God went. Soon enough God reminds me that it was me who created distance, me who allowed something else to take priority in my life or heart or mind. In a passage or something I read, in a song or in the words of a friend, I am reminded of that unfailing love and of the hope I have in his saving grace. It is then that a song or prayer of praise fills my heart.

Songs of lament are good reminders that life will be hard at times. We will struggle, especially when we shift our eyes and focus from the one who is worthy of our praise. Today’s Psalm reminds us to allow ourselves to feel and to express our emotions to God, trusting in his love and care. May we ever turn to God, the rock of our salvation.

Prayer: Lord of all creation, in the highs and lows, you are the same. Whether I am on the mountaintop or in the depth of the valley, you are steadfast and true. Remind me over and over to turn to you, to hold fast to you. You are my rock and only hope. Amen.


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Pray Always

Prayer is an integral part of our faith.  Paul encourages us to “pray on all occasions” and to always be lifting one another up in prayer.  Prayer strengthens both our faith and our connections to God and to one another.

Each Sunday we lift up in prayer the joys and concerns that people share on prayer cards.  Those in worship are encouraged to pray for these folks during the week ahead.  These requests and others that are received by e-mail are sent out each week to the prayer chain – a group of people who pray for these individuals during the week.

Because people share their prayer requests, there is a greater sense of care and concern within the body of Christ.  People ask one another how things are going, ask if there is some way they can help, and so on.  These interactions and the accompanying stories of how God has worked through prayer serve to illustrate how God is active in our lives bringing healing, lifting our burdens, and extending grace.  To share and talk about God’s presence and activity in our world builds us up in our faith.

Paul’s words to “pray on all occasions” can be put to good use with perfect strangers as well.  One can offer prayer for the police officer each time you pass by one driving in your car.  One can offer up a pray for the person who passes by in the ambulance or even as you hear the siren.  One can offer a quick prayer for the mom or dad struggling with their child in the store.  You can also easily be direct with your prayers.  If you encounter a harried grocery clerk or bank teller or gas station attendance, you can offer to pray for them.  Here too we can see God at work in powerful ways.

God so wants to be connected to us.  Prayer is our best opportunity to connect with Him.  So do pray often and on all occasions.   His ear is always open!

Scripture reference: Ephesians 6:18


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A Prayer-Full Life

During our faith journey, we have many opportunities to pray for others.  Hopefully this is at least a daily occurence for each of us, as we lift up family and friends in prayer.  At other times we are a part of a larger group prayer for a specific person or a specific concern.  There is a sense of a burden being lifted when it is lifted to God in prayer.  These times in prayer also connect us to God.

Prayer matters.  I know I am more blessed because of the people praying for me.  You are too!  Prayer lifts us up to God and also makes us more aware of God.  Prayer makes a difference in our lives and in the lives of others.  We are told to pray without ceasing, to have a constant conversation with God.  God calls us to stay connected.

Prayer is also a gift we can offer.  It may be this morning at church to someone who seems to be hurting.  It may be to our frazzled waiter at the restaurant or to the overwhelmed clerk at the store.  It may be for the police officer who we drive by.  Prayer opportunities abound.

Today, yes today, may we seek out an opportunity to pray with someone unexpected.  May we be aware of the needs around us and may we have the courage to step in to lift another to God.  You will lift another up in many ways when you offer to pray with them.  Through this we will be both blessed and a blessing!

Scripture reference: Matthew 11: 25-30